Ropeway and the like



Juiy 1 5, 1924.

W. L'. HAMILTON ROPEWAZY AND THE L ;KE

Filed April 15, l924` 2 Sheets-Sheet l July l5. 1924.

W. L. HAMILTON ROPEWY AND THE LIKE Filed April l5, 1924 2 Shees-Sheet 2 #Wi/Waff www ff. fclwwtw, @i www Patented `Fuly 15, 1924.

UNTED STATES WILLAM LINDSAY HAMILTON', 0F GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

ROPEWAY .AND THE LIKE.

Application led April 15, 1924. Serial No. 706,708.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, TWILLIAM LINDSAY HAMILTON, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and of 171 Renfield Street, Glasgow, Scotland, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Connected with Ropeways and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to ropeways and the like, in the claims referred t0 generally as,

a ropeway, of the type in which a cable track, comprising two or more cables, suspended in tension between anchorages is provided with auxiliary support by suspension at one or a number of intermediate positions. In the claims this type will be referred to as ropeways of the type defined. The invention relates t0 improved appliances for use in providing such auxiliary support capable of being applied to the cables of a track while suspended in tension between anchorages, and by which, in the process of application, each cable of the track is caused to be diverted downwardly from its natural curve of suspension at the position of auxil iary support, causing at that position a gap in the continuity of each cable of the track, which gaps in the continuity of the track are completed each by a rail portion associated with the appliance.

An appliance according to thisinvention comprises end guides for'incoming portions of each cable, means for diverting downwardly the port-ion of each cable between the incoming portions from its natural curve of suspension, and rail portions to occupy positions each between incoming portions.

In one example of construction suitable for use in conjunction with a two cable track, the appliance may comprise a frame structure, consisting of, say, two or more principal longitudinal beams arranged, say, parallel to one another, having cradles mounted on the beams arranged in pairs transversely, at a distance apart longitudinally, and adapted to be secured against endwise displacement when adjusted or rigidlyY fixed in position, or formed in a part with the frame structure. Each cradle is formed with a grooved guide into which the lower side of an incoming portion of a cable is adapted to fit,` and between the cradles at positions adjacent thereto, one near each end, yokes to be placed on the cables are provided, associated with means for drawing them downwardly towards the beams of the frame. Thus, the appliance may be brought into position beneath the two cables of the track in suspension at the position where auxiliary support is to be provided, the beams of the frame structure being disposed approximately parallel with the cables, and thel guides applied to the underside of the cables at the incoming positions, the yokes are then applied, and by means, say, of screw connections rwith the beams, the portion of the cable between the incoming portions is drawn down at each end near the guides so that a gap in the continuity of the track provided by the cable is produced. Rail portions comprising, say, two rails may then be mounted on the beams to complete the continuity of the track.

In some cases it may be desirable in diverting rthe cables to draw the intervening portion laterally out of the vertical plane in which the cables would normally liano". For example, these portions in a two cable track may be drawn downwardly and laterally closer together. This may be done by providing at the inner part of each cradle an inclined shoulder which as the diverting proceeds causes the cable to move towards the central verticalplane.

The appliance is carried by suspension. For example, for a cable track (say, a two cable track) for use in conjunction with carriages suspended from wheels which run upon the track the method of suspension generally may be by means of swinging hangers or liexible connections from an overhead support, say, a transverse bar. By this method of suspension the appliance is capable of restricted movement endwise.

An example of an appliance for a two cable track, two illustrations of two cable track ropeways, and an illustration of a four cable track ropeway, according to this invention will now be described with reference tothe accompanying dra-wings, in which Figure l is a plan, Figure 2 is a cross section ofthe appliance and Figure 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the appliance. Figures 4 and 5 are views each showing an overhead support, Figure t being a side elevation with an appliance indicated diagrammatically and Figure 5 an end view with an appliance 'and a carriage indicated diagrammatically.

Figure 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating in side elevation two examples of two cable track ropeways.

Figure 8 is an end view illustrating a four cable track ropeway.

In lthe drawing A designates wire cables of the ropeways, and B a Jframe. structure of an appliance, comprising two principal longitudinal beams 2 and four transverse beams 3, sleepers 4: mountedl on the principal beams 2, four cradles C each comprising a grooved guide 5 and an inclined shoulder 6, the shoulder 6 situated at the inne]` side, vthe side presented towards the longitudinal central line of the appliance, and extending downwardly and angularly t0- wards the central line, two yokes D, screw bolts 7 connected to the principal beams 2 for drawing the yokes downwardly to the beams 2, and two rail portions E, the sleepersl having brackets for securing the rail portions in position.

A methodof suspension, illustrated at Figures 4c' and 5, comprises an overhead support, two swinging hangers F, connected by transverse pivots Gr at their upper ends to transverse bars of the overhead support and at their lower ends to the appliance, the connection with the appliance being at a position, say, longitudinally midway between the ends of .the appliance and transversely at positions between the principal beams 2, each hanger F being close to one of the principal beams.

ln Figure 5 a carriage H is indicated comprising a bed S,\side members 9, and wheels 10 to run on the cables A. of the track.

The ropeways indicated at Figures 6 and 7 eachV comprise two masts K between which the cables A of the two cable track are suspended in tension being anchored at their ends beyond the mast-s.

In Figure 6 the auxiliary support indicated is of the character described with reference to Figures 4 and 5, and in Figure 7 a method of suspending the appliances is illustrated comprising flexible connections L extending from the maststo the appliances.

The ropeway illustrated at Figure 8 -for a four cable track comprises an overhead support, swinging hangers F connected by transverse pivots G at their upper ends to the overhead support and at their lower ends respectively to two appliances B. In this case a carriage H is indicated comprising a body connected by pivots at 11 to yokes 1.2, from which links 13 pivotedV at 14, extend, having each a wheel 10 to run on a cable A otthe track.

I claim s 1. The combination withv` ar ropewayrhav- Ling a cable track kcomprising cables suspended intension between anchorages and auxiliary support by suspension of an auxiliary support capable of beingappliedto thecables of the track while` suspended in tension, having means by which, in the process vof application, eachy cable of the track is caused to be diverted downwardly from its natural curve of suspension at the position of auxiliary support, causing at that position a gap in the continuity of each cable of the track, and having rail portions, one for each gap to complete the continuity of the track.

2. An auxiliary support, for use with a ropeway having a cable track comprising cables suspended in tension between anchorages, capable of being applied to the cables of the track while suspended in tension, the auxiliary support having means by which, in the process of application, each cable of the track is caused to be diverted downwardly from its natural curve of suspension at the position of auxiliary support, causing at that position a gap in the continuity of each cable of the track, rail portions, one for each gap to complete the continuity of the track, and means for the suspension of the auxiliary support.

3. An auxiliary support, for use with a ropeway having a cable track comprising two cables suspended in tension between anchorages, capable of being applied to the two cables while suspended in tension, the auxiliary support having means by which, in the process of application, each cable of the track is caused to be diverted downwardly from its natural curve of suspension at the position of auxiliary support, causing at that positio-n a gap in the continuity of each cable, rail portions, one .for each gap to complete the continuity of the track, and means Jfor the suspension of the auxiliary support.

4. An appliance, for providing auxiliary support for use with a ropeway having a cable track comprising cables suspended in tension between anchorages, comprising end guides for incoming portions of' each cable, means for causing the portion of each cable between the incoming portions to be diverted downwardly from its natural curve of suspension, and rail portions, one for each cable of the track, to occupy positions each between incoming portions.

5. An. appliance, for providing auxiliary support for use with a ropeway havin@r a cable track comprising two cables suspenlded in tension between anchorages, comprising end guides for incoming portions of each cable, means for causing the portion of each cable between the incoming portions to be diverted downwardly from its natural curve of suspension, and tworail portions, one foreach cable of the track, to occupy positions each between incoming portions.

G. An appliance, for providing auxiliary support for use with a ropeway havinga cable track comprising two cables suspended in tension between anchorages, comprising astructural frame, four cradles on the frame arranged inpairs transversely and at a distance apart longitudinally each cradle having a grooved guide to receive the lower side of an incoming portion of a cable, two yokes located between the transverse pairs of cradles adjacent to the cradles one near each pair for application to the cables, and means for drawing the yokes downwardly towards the frame,

7. An appliance, for providing auxiliary support for use with a ropeway having a cable track comprising two cables suspended in tension between anchorages, comprising a structural frame, the structural frame comprising principal longitudinal beams arranged parallel or approximately so to one another and disposed approximately parallel with the cables, four cradles on the frame arranged in pairs transversely and at a distance apart longitudinally each cradle having a grooved guide to receive the lower side of an incoming` portion of a cable, two yokes located between the transverse pairs of cradles adjacent to the cradles one near each pair for application to the cables, and means for drawing the yokes downwardly towards the frame.

8. An appliance, Jfor providing auxiliary support for use with a ropeway having a cable track comprising two cables suspended in tension between anchorages, comprising a structural frame, four cradles on the frame arranged in pairs transversely and at a distance apartlongitudinally each cradle hav ing a grooved guide to receive the lower side of an incoming portion of a ca'ble, two yokes located between the transverse pairs of cradles adjacent to the cradles one near each pair for application to the cables, means for drawing the yokes downwardly towards the frame, and rail portions carried by and directly connected to the structural frame, -for the purposes set forth.

9. An auxiliary support, for use with a ropeway having a cable track comprising` cables suspended in tension between anchorages, capable of being applied to the cables of the track while suspended in tension, the

auxiliary support having means by which, in the process of application, each cable of the track is caused to be diverted downwardly from its natural curve of suspension and laterally out of the vertical plane in which'each cable would normally hang at the position of auxiliary support, causing at that position avgap in the continuity of each cable of the track, rail portions, one for each gap to complete the continuity of the track, and means for the suspension of the auxiliar f support.

l0. An auxiliary support, for use with a ropeway having a cable track comprising two cables suspended in tension between anchorages, capable of being applied to the cables of the track while suspended in ten-t sion, the auxiliary support having means by which, in the process of application, each of the two cables is caused to be diverted downwardly from its natural curve of sus ension and laterally out of the lvertical p ane in which each cable would normally hang at the position of auxiliary support, such as to bring them laterally closer together, causing at that position a gap in the continuity of each cable of the track, rail portions, one for each gap to complete the continuity of the track` and means for the suspension of the auxiliary support.

1l. An auxiliary support, for use with a ropeway having a cable track comprising cables suspended in tension between anchor ages, capable of being applied to the cables of the track while suspended in tension, the auxiliary support having means by which, in the process of application, each cable of the track is caused to be diverted downwardly from its natural curve of suspension at the position of auxiliary support, causing at that position a gap in the continuity of each cable of the track, rail portions, one for each gap to complete the continuity of the track, and swinging hangers Jfor the suspension of the auxiliary support.

TILLIAM LINDSAY HAMILTON. 

